Ginger Chicken Meatballs with Rice Vermicelli

One of the nice things about any recurring holiday (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) is that it gives you a virtual milestone at which you are able to sit and reflect on the goings-on of the past year. New Years is one of my favorites for this, and this year is no different. In fact, this year's might have been one of the best yet.

This past year included finishing a degree, climbing a volcano, getting a new job, and a cross-country move to a fun, new city. Of course, that meant leaving behind close friends who had grown into family (I DO miss you, Seattle friends!). But it also meant a return to my, ahem, biological family, best friends, and even a new and wonderful boyfriend (shout out, MM!). With all of the change and excitement this past year, I can only look forward to the upcoming year as I dream about all of the fun that the coming year will bring.

Enough about me, back to the food! This recipe was a modification, mainly because I couldn't find soba (buckwheat) noodles at the Giant, as the original recipe prescribed. According to my local Giant shelf-stocker, that "sounds like something Harris Teeter would carry." Good to know....!

The rice vermicelli tasted great and were a good substitute, but if you use them instead of soba noodles, I would highly recommend upping the amount of stock that you use because the vermicelli seem to soak up more liquid than their buckwheat counterparts. Regardless, the real stars here are the meatballs: they are moist, flavorful, and easy as could be. I might even make them as party favors to serve on their own!

Ginger Chicken Meatballs and Scallions with Rice Vermicelli
Adapted from Big Girls, Small Kitchen  

For the meatballs:
1 pound ground chicken breast 2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
One 2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 scallions, minced
3/4 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon siracha
1 teaspoon salt

For the noodles:
1 shallot, thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts divided)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 quart chicken stock
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 pound rice vermicelli noodles
2 cups broccoli florets

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Form into small 1 inch balls (you should get 24 or so), and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Set aside.

In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of neutral vegetable oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over a medium-low flame. Add the shallot, white parts of the scallions, and the ginger, and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the stock and soy sauce, and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer until they are al dente, about 12 minutes, or as specified on the package. Add the broccoli for the last 2-3 minutes, or long enough for the broccoli to soften. Add the meatballs and the remaining scallions to the pot. Taste for seasoning: if lacking in salt, add more soy; if you like spice, add some siracha. To serve, ladle the noodles, meatballs, and broth into bowls and eat immediately.